Bed base with locking corner

Abstract

A corner locking mechanism for a bed base that has corners formed by respective adjacent mating side panels and end panels is provided. The corner locking mechanism has a first section including a first top wall, a first outer wall orthogonal to the first top wall, and a first inner wall extending orthogonally from the first top wall. The corner locking mechanism also has a second section extending orthogonally from the first section, the second section including a second top wall, a second outer wall extending orthogonally from the second top wall, and a second inner wall spaced from the second outer wall and extending orthogonally from the second top wall. The first section is located over one of the side panel or the end panel at the corners.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A corner locking mechanism for a bed base having corners formed by a respective adjacent mating side panel and end panel, the corner locking mechanism comprising:
 a first section including a first top wall, a first outer wall extending orthogonally from the first top wall, and a first inner wall spaced from the first outer wall and extending orthogonally from the first top wall; and 
 a second section extending orthogonally from the first section, the second section including a second top wall, a second outer wall extending orthogonally from the second top wall, and a second inner wall spaced from the second outer wall and extending orthogonally from the second top wall; 
 wherein the first section is located over one of the side panel or the end panel, and the second section is located over the other of the side panel or the end panel to secure the side panel with respect to the end panel; 
 wherein the first outer wall includes a first hole positioned to mate with a hole in one of the side panel or the end panel and the second outer wall includes a second hole positioned to mate with a hole in one of the side panel or the end panel; and 
 further comprising a retaining pin sized to fit within one of the first hole or the second hole, and wherein, when the retaining pin is placed through a selected one of the first hole or the second hole, and through the hole in the one of the side panel and the end panel, the corner locking mechanism is positively held in place relative to the side panel and the end panel by the retaining pin. 
 
     
     
       2. The corner locking mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the first outer wall includes first region separated from a second region by a relief cut and the second outer wall includes a first region and a second region separated by a relief cut. 
     
     
       3. The corner locking mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the first inner wall and the second inner wall are oriented orthogonally to one another, and converge toward one another but do not meet, forming an inner gap. 
     
     
       4. The corner locking mechanism of  claim 3 , wherein the first outer wall and the second outer wall are oriented orthogonally to one another, and converge toward one another but do not meet, forming an outer gap. 
     
     
       5. The corner locking mechanism of  claim 4 , wherein the inner gap is greater than the outer gap. 
     
     
       6. The corner locking mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the inner walls have a height and the outer walls have a height, and wherein the height of the outer walls is greater than the height of the inner wall. 
     
     
       7. The corner locking mechanism of  claim 1 , wherein the respective adjacent mating side panel comprises an overlap tab and wherein the overlap tab overlaps the end panel to secure the side panel with respect to the end panel. 
     
     
       8. The corner locking mechanism of  claim 7 , wherein the first hole is positioned to mate with the hole of the side panel on the overlap tab. 
     
     
       9. A bed base, comprising corner locking mechanism for a bed base having corners formed by a respective adjacent mating side panel and end panel, the corner locking mechanism comprising:
 a pair of spaced apart side panels; 
 a pair of spaced apart end panels oriented orthogonally to the side panels, wherein the side panels and the end panels form a rectangular base with four corners; 
 and four corner locking mechanisms, with one corner locking mechanism disposed over each of the four corners; each locking mechanism including: 
 a first section including a first top wall, a first outer wall extending orthogonally from the first top wall, and a first inner wall spaced from the first outer wall and extending orthogonally from the first top wall; 
 and a second section extending orthogonally from the first section, the second section including a second top wall, a second outer wall extending orthogonally from the second top wall, and a second inner wall spaced from the second outer wall and extending orthogonally from the second top wall; 
 wherein the first section of each corner locking mechanism is located over one of the side panel or the end panel forming a respective corner, and the second section is located over the other of the side panel or the end panel forming the respective corner to secure the side panel with respect to the end panel; 
 wherein the first outer wall includes a first hole positioned to mate with a hole in one of the side panel or the end panel and the second outer wall includes a second hole positioned to mate with a hole in the other of the side panel or the end panel; 
 further comprising a retaining pin sized to fit within one of the first hole or the second hole, and wherein, when the retaining pin is placed through a selected one of the first hole or the second hole, and through the hole in the one of the side panel and the end panel, the corner locking mechanism is positively held in place relative to the side panel and the end panel by the retaining pin. 
 
     
     
       10. The bed base of  claim 9 , wherein the first outer wall includes a relief cut and the second outer wall includes a relief cut. 
     
     
       11. The bed base of  claim 9 , wherein the first inner wall and the second inner wall are oriented orthogonally to one another, and converge toward one another but do not meet, forming an inner gap. 
     
     
       12. The bed base of  claim 11 , wherein the first outer wall and the second outer wall are oriented orthogonally to one another, and converge toward one another but do not meet, forming an outer gap. 
     
     
       13. The bed base of  claim 12 , wherein the inner gap is greater than the outer gap. 
     
     
       14. The bed base of  claim 13 , wherein the inner walls have a height and the outer walls have a height, and wherein the height of the outer walls is greater than the height of the inner wall. 
     
     
       15. The bed base of  claim 9 , wherein the pair of spaced apart side panels each comprise a pair of overlap tabs and wherein the pair of overlap tabs overlaps the pair of spaced apart end panels. 
     
     
       16. The bed base of  claim 15 , wherein the first hole is positioned to mate with the hole of the side panel on the overlap tab.